Hi all

So I have read many of the posts about water intake and I have a question. I drink lots and lots of diet drinks. I drink diet iced tea, diet green tea, diet coke, coffee, etc. However my water intake is only about 3 glasses a day (at MOST).

I know that diet drinks are mainly all water. So is it okay if I could my diet drinks as water? If I do, then I have enough water intake. If you cannot count them, I am in trouble.

~Libby

Hi Libby....
WeLLLLLLLLL.......Dr Atkins promotes eight 8 oz glasses of water, NOT diet drinks or tea. The reason being, pure water helps detox the body washing out toxins especially when you are in ketosis(fat burning mode as in the low carb way).
You really need to do at the least eight 8oz glasses of water, then have a diet cola or tea after you get all your water in. Of course, you shouldn't drink all your water at once...but spread it out over the day. Once you get used to that much water and your body becomes properly hydrated, it will become easier to get your water in, and you will most likely even crave water rather than other drinks.

HTH

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Shelley
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Visit Kassie's Korner



Life deserves a treat now and again, but life also deserves being healthy[with required disipline] to make it worth living!

Libby,
I'm with you on this issue - and struggle with it horribly so. But facts are facts. The program works best when you are hydrating your body well. I always picture a little guy with a waterhose inside my fat cells going... okay...gotta clean these suckers out....powerwashing the fat away. Okay - it's silly, but the analogy works. If you consume water - you'll reap these benefits:

Water makes your metabolism burn calories 3% faster
Helps regulate appetite
Boost energy levels
Less water retention
Alleviate some headaches
Help reduce blood pressure
Help reduce high cholesterol
Ease joint pain
Decrease in risk of some cancers (reduces colon cancer risk by 45%, bladder cancer by 50% and some breast cancer)
Less chance developing kidney stones
Release toxic waste products (there's my guy with the powerwasher)
Improves skin

Here's some more interesting info:
The human brain is composed of 95% water; blood is 82% water; the lungs are nearly 90% water. How important is this composition? A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page. Mild dehydration is also one of the most common causes of daytime fatigue. How common a problem is this? Estimates are that seventy-five percent of Americans have mild, chronic dehydration.

I reward myself - I can have my coffee (I'm a starbucks addict, so this is no joke) AFTER I drink a bottle of water. I have to drink my water first... it starts me off on the right foot. Set a timer, set an outlook reminder, create a check list - do whatever it is you need to do, and the rewards will be great!

Good luck! (Go drink some water now!)
Dee

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Started: 261
Currently: 182

Libby, when you drink water, you find you don't drink as much sodas and other liquids. I found that diet sodas taste way to sweet for me now. In fact, I haven't had a soda in probably 4 or 5 months, and I used to drink them a lot. I actually prefer water, especially at a restaurant. The food tastes better when you drink water with it, instead of soda.

I wish I could find the news article, because scientists think there could be a link between dehydration and Alzheimers. The autopsies of people with Alzheimers showed dehydrated brains. When they gave Alzheimers patients more water to drink, their memories improved. However, I cannot find the news item. Interesting thought, though. If drinking water keeps my brain intact, I'm gonna keep drinking it!

If you drink other drinks, do as Dee says and have them in addition to your water, not instead of your water.

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Nita

All good replies above.
Water will hydrate your body better than diet soda will once for once and is your best choice. (Actually fruit juice is more hydrating, but then it has carbs) Which isn't to say that diet soda is a bad choice IMO . Just not as hydrating as water.

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keep on keepin on

211/165/170

*sigh* my little piece of heaven turns to dark...

I guess I will have to start drinking more water then. At least I can add a slice of lemon to it.

I really cannot stand diet drinks sweetened with Splenda. Yuck! They just taste awful to me. I looooove aspartame sweetened drinks.

Thank you for all of your advice! ~Libby

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